Wicket device for use in house doors



July 31, 1956 c. GARLAND 2,756,466

WICKET DEVICE FOR USE IN HOUSE DOORS Filed Jan. 12, 1954 Invewfior fihrisi'opher Gariana $1 1: Z Q .Hizif ys.

United States Patent WICKET DEVICE FOR USE IN HOUSE DOORS Christopher Garland, Buzzards Bay, Mass.

Application January 12, 1954, Serial No. 403,524

Claims. (Cl. 20-39) This invention pertains to doors of the type known as wickets, and more especially to a wicket door unit designed to be installed in the lower part of a wooden house-door to permit the free passage in or out of an animal, for instance a dog or cat.

In order to enable a pet animal to pass into or out of a house without human assistance it has heretofore been proposed to cut a hole in the lower part of the house door. However, in order to prevent the entrance of wind or rain, it has been recognized as necessary to provide some sort of closure for the hole thus made. Since it is desirable that the animal be able to go in as well as out, the customary practice has been to provide a freely swinging gravity actuated closure for the hole in the door, but such an arrangement is not very effective for the intended purpose, and is usually unsightly and such as would not be tolerated by persons who take pride in the appearance of their homes, and at best the provision of such a wicket, if it is to be anything more than a mere opening involves a certain degree of skill as well as substantial labor.

The present invention has for an object the provision of a wicket for use in an ordinary house-door, through which the pet animal may pass in or out, and so devised that while providing easy passage for the animal in either direction, it eifectively prevents the entrance of wind or rain. A further object is to provide a wicket, for use in a house-door, which is self-closing but so designed that it will not close so quickly as to injure an animal passing through. A further object is to provide a doubledoor wicket, comprising a pair of oppositely swinging doors, in the form of a unitary structure which may be installed in any house-door by anyone having the most rudimentary skill in the use of tools and which, when installed provides a neat and wholly unobjectionable exterior appearance. A further object is to provide a double-door wicket comprising a two-part frame wherein that part of the frame which is located at the exterior of the house-door carries the wicket door which swings outwardly while the complementary part of the frame, which is located at the inside of the house-door, carries the wicket door which swings inwardly, the two complementary frames being so designed as to permit the unit to be installed in doors of different thicknesses.

Other further objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the following more detailed .description and by reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is an elevation of the lower part of a housedoor, the upper part being broken away, showing the wicket of the present invention installed in the lower panel of the door;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through the house-door substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1, showing the inner and outer frame members of the wicket;

Fig. 3 is a plane view to small scale of the wicket device, showing the house-door in horizontal section. on the line 3-3 ofFig. 1-; and i Fig. 4 is a front elevation to small scale, showing the rear frame member of the wicket before the front frame member had been assembled therewith.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the lower portion of a wooden door of conventional construction, for example the exterior door of a dwelling house, this door being shown as comprising the vertical stiles 11 and 12, the horizontal mullion M, the lower rail R, and the upper panel 13, it being assumed that the lower panel has been completely removed.

The double-door wicket device of the present invention comprises the two wicket doors D and D'. It'is assumed that it is the exterior side of the door which is shown in Fig. 1, and the wicket door D is arranged to swing outwardly to the broken line position indicated at O in Fig. 2, while the other wicket door D is arranged to swing inwardly to the broken line position 0' in Fig. 2.

This wicket device, according to the present invention, comprises a frame of rigid material including the front frame member 15 and the rear frame member 16 (Fig. 3), these two frame members being substantially alike and complemental to each other except for such minor features as are hereinafter described. Thus it suflices to describe the front frame member 15 in detail, although in certain instances corresponding parts of the rear frame member will be referred to. Each frame member is conveniently made from sheet metal of a suitable thickness to provide the desired strength and rigidity, and is here shown (Fig. l) as a rectangular shape and of a size to overlap the material of the wooden door which borders the space left by the removal of the lower panel or panels from the Wooden door. Thus as shown in Fig. l, the front frame member 15 comprises the vertical portions 17 and 18 which overlap the stiles 11 and 12 of the wooden door; a horizontal upper portion 19 which overlaps the lower portion of the horizontal mullion M of the door; and a lower part 20 which overlaps the bottom rail R of the wooden door. This front frame member 15 also comprises the vertical member 21 which separates two openings 22 and 23 (Fig. 2) formed in the material of the frame member. While as above suggested, sheet metal is desirable and convenient in forming this frame member, it is contemplated that other materials may be employed for the purpose, for example artificial wood, indurated fiber, or a suitable plastic, and in a preferred construction each frame member is a unitary piece of the selected material. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the openings 22 and 23 are of approximately rectangular shape, although havingrounded corners if desired, but the opening 23 is of slightly larger dimensions both. horizontally and vertically than the opening 22.

While the opening 22 may be formed merely by punching out the proper piece from the sheet material so that the opening 22 is defined by the square edges of the sheet material resultant from this cutting or punching operation, the opening 23 is defined by integral portions of the sheet material which have been bent rearwardly to form the left and right flanges 24 and 25 (Fig. 2) and corresponding horizontal top and bottom flanges 24 and 25 (Fig. 4). Desirably these several flanges form a continuous uninterrupted border about the opening 25, the flanges being so bent as to extend perpendicularly to the plane defined by the portions 17, 18,. 19, 20 and 21 of the frame member.

The depth of the flange members 24, 25, etc. measured from the front face of the frame member 15 to therear or free edges of the flange members is less than the front to rear thickness of the thinnest wooden door to which the device is to be applied. Thus, because the opening 22 (Fig. 2) in the rear frame member (which is registered'with the front opening 23 in the front frame member 15) is of lesser dimensions than the opening 23, the free rear edges of the flange members 24, 25, 24 and 24 are spaced outwardly from the edges of the opening 22 so that they are opposed to portions 26, 27, etc. of the rear frame member 16. In order to provide a weather-tight seal between the inner and outer frame members, a washer W '(Fig. 4) preferably of a resilient material such as felt or rubber is arranged to form a border for the opening 22 the washer being secured, for example by adhesive, to the inner surface of the rear frame member so that when the parts are that after the formation of the aperture in the wooden assembled the free rear edges of the flange members 24,

acts as a weather strip for the door and likewise as a resilient doorstep to limit the rearward swing of the door B. It will be understood that the rear frame member 16 has its opening 23 (which corresponds to the opening 23 in the front frame member) bordered by flanges similar to the flanges 24, 25, etc., but which project forwardly when the parts are assembled and whose forward edges engage a washer W (Fig. 2) bordering the opening 22 in the front frame member.

Preferably one of the frame members, for example the rear frame member 16 is provided near its four corners with rigid internally screw-threaded forwardly projecting sleeve members V (Fig. 2) which may for example be welded to the rear frame member and which are designed to project forwardly through properly located bores in the wooden door. The front frame member is then provided with openings which register with the screw-threaded bores in the sleeves S for the reception of screws T (Fig. 2) which, by engagement with theh screw threads of the sleeves V, may be actuated to draw the two frame, members toward each other so as to clamp the material of the wooden door between the two frame members, thus providing a tight seal between the parts. Desirably, the frame members, or at least the front frame member, are provided with other openings for the reception of screws F spaced along the marginal portion of the frame member whereby the latter may be secured to the door to prevent any buckling of the frames away from the door in response to shrinking or swelling of the door material.

As here illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, the base portion 30 of a door-controlling device is secured to the upper member 19 of each of the frame members, each doorcontrolling device comprising a spring S which tends to close the corresponding door and a check device C, for example of the pneumatic type, operative to delay the closing of the door sufficiently to permit an animal to pass through the door without danger of being caught between the door and door jamb. The piston element of the check device is pivotally secured to a part 31 projecting outwardly from the corresponding wicket'door.

This improved wicket device, including the complemental frame members and the parts carried thereby, may be manufactured and packaged to be sold as a unit, desirably with a templet to assist the user in drilling the necessary holes for the reception of the sleeves S and the screws T and V for example, and may readily be applied to any ordinary door by an unskilled person, since it' only requires that an aperture of the proper size be first formed in the lower part of the door, for instance by removing the lower panel or panels, then drilling the holes for the reception of the sleeves S and then assembling the two frame members .at opposite sides of the door, inserting the sleeve members S in the'holes drilled for them, then inserting the screws T and tightening them to draw the frame members together, and theninserting' door, the only tool necessary for the installation of the wicket device is an ordinary screw driver. The springs S may be adjusted as is customary in door control devices of this type to provide the desired tension and in accordance with the strength of the animal which will use the wicket device. Obviously, the wicket device of the present invention may be installed in new doors, by the manufacturer of door, or may be sold at retail for installation by the individual house owner.

It has been found that household pets very quickly learn that by pressing on the proper door, the latter may be opened, thus permitting the animal to pass through in one or the other direction. On the other hand, the arrangement is such that it is weather-tight, preventing the passage of cold wind or rain and at the same time is of neat appearance such that it is not objectionable when applied to the usual exterior door of a dwelling house.

It is contemplated that these devices will be made in different sizes for the accommodation of animals of different sizes or strength and also for application to doors of different dimensions. However, it is expected that but a few standard sizes will be required to take care of all situations.

While one desirable embodiment of the invention has herein been disclosed by way of example, it is to be understood that the invention is broadly inclusive of any and all modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A wicket designed to be installed in an opening provided for it in the lower portion of a wooden door, said wicket comprising inner and outer complemental frame members, each having portions disposed in the same plane and arranged to overlie the surface of the door bordering the aperture, means whereby said frame members may be drawn toward each other thereby to clamp the marginal portion of the door between them, each of said complemental frame members having there in a door opening, a wicket door hingedly connected to each of said complemental frame members, each wicket door being hinged to swing about a vertical edge of the door opening in its respective frame member, and spring means carried by each respective frame member operative normally to close its respective door.

2. A wicket according to claim 1 wherein the frame members are of sheet material, portions of each respec tive frame member lying in the same plane and being designed to overlie the marginal portions of the wooden door bordering the aperture in the latter, each frame member having two door openings therein, one of the openings in each frame member being defined by the edges of the sheet material in which the opening is formed and the other opening in each frame member being defined by integral flanges, perpendicular to the plane of the sheet material, which extend toward the other frame member when the frame members are assembled, the doors being hinged to corresponding vertical edges of the latter openings.

3. A wicket designed to be installed in an aperture provided for it in the lower portion of a wooden door, said wicket comprising complemental inner and outer frame members each frame member having therein horizontally spaced right and left openings, means for drawing said frame members toward each other thereby to clamp marginal portions of the wooden door, bordering the aperture in the latter, between portions of the frame members and with the right and left openings in one frame member in substantial registry with the left and right openings respectively of the other frame member, a wicket door having one of its vertical edges hinged at the edge of a corresponding opening of each of the respective frame members, each door normally forming a closure for two of the registering openings in the assembled structure, and spring means carried by each frame member urging its respective door toward closed position.

4. A wicket according to claim 3 wherein that one of the openings to whose edge a wicket door is hinged is defined by flanges located within the aperture in the wooden door and having their free edges opposed to portions of the opposite frame member, and resilient packing means interposed between said flange edges and the opposite frame member.

5. A wicket according to claim 3 wherein each frame member consists of a substantially rectangular-piece of sheet metal, said piece comprising marginal portions all in the same plane which overlap the material of the wooden door bordering the aperture in the latter, the two openings in each frame member being separated by a portion of the sheet metal which is disposed in the same plane as said marginal portions, each frame member comprising flanges disposed at substantially right angles to the plane of said marginal portions, said flanges defining the opening within which the wicket door, canied by the respective frame member, is hinged, the opening in which the door is hinged being larger than the other opening whereby the free edges of the flanges are directed toward that portion of the opposite frame, when the frames are assembled, which borders the registering opening in the opposed frame member, the depths of the flanges being less than the thickness of the thinnest wooden door to which the wicket is to be applied, and means for closing the space between the free edges of the flanges and the inner surface of the opposed frame member.

6. A wicket according to claim 3 wherein the frame members are of substantially rectangular shape, each having marginal portions which overlap the material of the wooden door bordering the aperture in the latter, one frame member having, adjacent to each corner, a rigid, internally screw-threaded sleeve designed to extend through a corresponding bore in the wood of the door, and the other frame member having a hole registering with said sleeve through which a screw may be entered into the sleeve for drawing the frame members toward each other.

7. A wicket comprising two complemental rigid frame members designed to be secured to the opposite sides respectively of a wooden door and collectively to form a frame for an aperture in the wooden door, each respective frame member having a right and a left hand opening therein, the right hand opening in one frame member registering with the left hand opening in the other frame member and vice versa when the frame members are assembled with the wooden door, a wicket door hinged to the edge of the corresponding opening in each of the respective frame members, each door normally closing two registering openings, and means for drawing the two frame members toward each other thereby to clamp marginal portions of the wooden door, bordering the aperture therein, between them.

8. In combination with a wooden door having an aperture in its lower part, a wicket comprising frame members disposed at the inside and outside respectively of the wooden door, each frame member comprising portions which overlie the material of the wooden door bordering the aperture in the latter, means for drawing the frame members toward each other to clamp the material of the wooden door between them, each frame member having two horizontally spaced openings therein, one opening being larger than the other, the larger opening being defined by a flange perpendicular to the plane of the wooden door and having its free edge opposed to that portion of the other frame member which borders the smaller opening in the latter, and resilient packing interposed between the free edge of the flange and the other frame member.

9. In combination with a wooden door, a wicket according to claim 8, having a wicket door hinged to swing about one vertical edge of the larger opening of each frame member respectively, said resilient packing being so arranged as to provide a weather strip and stop for each door when the latter is closed.

10. In combination with a wooden door having an aperture in its lower part, a double-door wicket comprising inner and outer rigid frame members having marginal portions which overlap the material of the wooden door bordering the aperture in the latter, and means drawing said marginal portions toward each other to clamp the door material between them, each frame member having therein two openings, a wicket door hinged to swing about the outer edge of the right-hand opening of each respective frame member, resilient washers fixed to the inner surface of each respective frame member and which border the other of the openings therein, said washers being arranged to constitute stops for the respective doors, the doors being arranged to swing in opposite directions when opening, one outwardly of the wooden door and the other inwardly of the wooden door, and spring means tending to close each of said wicket doors.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 700,863 Wansbrough May 27, 1902 1,186,566 Fogg June 13, 1916 1,523,251 Bracken Jan. 13, 1925 

